Freelance Green Flags: 5 Signs You’ve Found a Good Client
A significant part of freelance work is finding and maintaining clients. But it’s not enough to simply find clients – you want to find good clients. To get the best clients, it’s important to know what to look for. Keep reading to learn the five green flags that indicate you’ve found a good client.
1. They Communicate Well
It’s essential that clients clearly communicate important information, such as their guidelines and timeline, so that you’re both on the same page regarding the project.
Since most freelancers are remote, it’s even more important that a client addresses your concerns promptly. If they’re responsive to your questions, it improves your workflow and prevents delays – and it’s an indicator that they’ll be easy to work with.
2. They Provide Clear Expectations
When a client communicates clear expectations, it makes it easier to do your job and produce high-quality results. Clients who know what they want and send detailed outlines and constructive feedback are easier to work with – and clear guidelines also prevent time-consuming revision requests.
3. They’re Mindful of Scope Creep
Scope creep is when a client changes previously agreed-upon terms and makes demands after you’ve already begun working on a project. Good clients will be mindful of scope creep and understand that it causes difficulties for freelancers.
They’ll also know that they can’t expect you to work for free – so if they make additional demands or tighten the deadline, they’ll be ready to pay for the extra work.
4. They Understand Your Value
A good client understands the value of the service you provide, so they don’t have a problem signing a contract before work begins. A contract protects all parties involved in the arrangement and ensures that you’re paid fairly for your work, so it’s usually a bad sign if a client refuses to sign one.
In addition, it’s a big green flag when a client respects your knowledge and skills and values your professional opinion.
5. They Pay You on Time
Nothing is more frustrating than completing work on a project only to have to chase down the payment you earned. A good client doesn’t wait for you to ask for payment – the full amount is delivered on time as soon as they accept your finished work.
Good clients also won’t question your rates after the initial negotiation, which shows that they’re willing to pay a fair price for first-rate service. It’s also a positive indication that they’ll trust your decisions and won’t micromanage every step of the project.
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